Issue link: http://saihq.uberflip.com/i/1536627
sai-national.org • Summer 2025 9 Music Education a cello, but "plucked high" rather than strummed. Earning our name "Hot Mess Mariachi Memorial," we sometimes have other instruments, such as a clarinet in the trumpet section. How were you able to get the specialized How were you able to get the specialized instruments? instruments? When we first started, we had trumpets and violins in our inventory. We had a couple of guitars that I was able to get from other schools. I had students playing bass and cello in place of guitarrons. rough the B Instrumental program in my district, STEAM grants, and generous donations, we were able to acquire guitarrons and vihuelas to really help the program take off. How do the students benefit musically from How do the students benefit musically from playing in the mariachi group? playing in the mariachi group? Keys in mariachi music are normally more guitar- or violin-"friendly," requiring middle school students to play in less familiar key signatures. This is a good challenge for them, especially the trumpet players. I treat our mariachi program as part ensemble, part club. Students have musical activities that are of a serious nature; I want mariachi to be social and fun while learning the music. We are learning what I refer to as the "life skills of gigging." You often have to roll with things at an event. You need to be able to change your set-up, adjust the set list in real time, and be able to play for longer time frames. We learn songs and then keep them on review while we learn new songs so we can play longer sets when needed. Our students are able to play songs from previous years, and they teach the new members. How does the band impact students How does the band impact students personally? personally? The experiences in the mariachi class teach the non-Hispanic students some Spanish and encourage the Hispanic students to feel respected for their culture and to share their experiences. Since many of my current students are from Hispanic backgrounds, I often ask them what songs they would like to learn. We are currently working on "El Rey," which is a well-known mariachi standard. The students are excited to learn this chart, and I even have some eighth- grade boys willing to sing it. What is the most rewarding part of What is the most rewarding part of leading this group? leading this group? I love having fun making music with these students. We are working on performing and entertaining with music. I love seeing their families proud of them and excited that they are learning the music that many of them grew up with. For the families that are not from that culture, they always seem thankful that their students are learning music from a different culture and are growing in knowledge about other cultures. What advice would you give to other What advice would you give to other educators who might want to start such educators who might want to start such a program? a program? DO IT! It is so rewarding. You don't have to have everything in place before you start. Where would we be if everyone waited for the "perfect conditions" before learning something new or presenting a new musical experience? You don't have to have a full set of trajes (the suits they wear—we perform in white shirts and moños), vihuelas, and guitarrons before you try it. Contact me (Colleen.Phillips@fwcs.k12.in.us) and I will help you in any way I can. Sue Jehl is an initiate of the Iota Chi chapter at Ball State University in 1980. She is currently a member of the Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter. The mariachi band The mariachi band in their in their trajes trajes